GF council O-K’s 2023 tax & budget plan

The Grand Forks council gave final approval to a 2023 budget last night (Monday) but not without a last minute debate over the employee salary plan and a one-percent pay for performance increase.

The move will cost some $334,000 dollars for the roughly 600 full and part-time city workers and is addition to the 4.13 percent scheduled increase next year.

In a failed motion City Council President Dana Sande tried to remove the additional increase. Sande says he fully supports paying employees – but there is a system already in place.  “I think it goes against the salary plan that we have been following for years and years.”

Council Vice-President Bret Weber says putting additional dollars into pay for performance makes sense.  “One of the most important things in employee compensation is to consider their performance…and make sure good performance is being rewarded.”

The 2023 budget totals $227.2 million dollars – an increase of some $11 million over the current plan.

Utility bills will increase $2.67 cents per month for the average user.